.: FENS-SfN Advocacy Grants Programme

The FENS-SfN Advocacy Grants Programme is a joint initiative of the FENS and SfN aiming at strengthening the advocacy capacity of FENS National Societies.
This programme serves as seed money for FENS Member Societies to support advocacy initiatives on neuroscience at national level across Europe.

Advocacy Grant Themes:

• Legislative Strategy
• Member Engagement
• Strategic Partnerships
• Resource Creation and Adaptation

Two calls for proposals were launched in 2011, respectively 2012 and grants of 2,500€ or 5,000€ were distributed to the successful applicants.

Final Reports of the FENS National Societies that were awarded a FENS-SfN Advocacy Grant during the 2011 Call for Proposals Round

• With their Advocacy grant, The British Neuroscience Association held a Neuroscience Summit in London to generate engagement between funders, charities, policy makers, basic scientists, clinicians and health professionals. The Summit brought together leaders who can influence policy and generate new initiatives for research into, and treatment for, disorders of the brain.
• The Advocacy grant enabled the Croatian Society for Neuroscience to create the Croatian Brain Council, the function of which is to initiate and facilitate a dialogue between basic and clinically-oriented neuroscientists, SMEs, industry and government officials in Croatia.
• The Hellenic Society for Neurosciences (HSN) used their Advocacy grant to organize events to champion the importance of neuroscience research funding to prominent politicians, pharmaceutical industry members, and the press.
• The Hungarian Neuroscience Society used their Advocacy grant to identify and meet with policy makers to educate them on the importance of neuroscience research funding.
• The Italian Society for Neuroscience used Advocacy grant funding to organize a National Brain Bee competition for students on brain related subjects, with participation of over 50 schools and 3000 students.
• Neuroscience Ireland hosted a one-day Neuroscience Advocacy Workshop to increase awareness of neuroscience research advocacy, public outreach and engagement in Ireland.
• The Portuguese Society for Neuroscience (SPN) used their Advocacy grant to organize a Brain Awareness Week, meetings with the public, and a Facebook page to highlight neuroscience research and education in Portugal.
• The Slovenian Neuroscience Association (SiNAPSA), in collaboration with the Slovenian Brain Council created The “Za mozgane si” (“You are for the brain”) campaign and www.za-mozgane.si website to increase public, press and policy maker awareness of neuroscience achievements and the importance of neuroscience research.
• The Advocacy grant enabled the Spanish Society of Neuroscience (SENC) to organize a series of events, lectures, brain fairs, and conferences on neuroscience education for the public, educators, and key policy makers, with attendance of over 4000.

Awarded FENS-SfN Advocacy Grants during the 2012 Call for Proposals Round:

• Dutch Neurofederation Advocacy Grant
• Italian Society of Neuroscience Advocacy Grant
• Lithuanian Neuroscience Association Advocacy Grant
• Neuroscience Ireland Advocacy Grant
• Polish Neuroscience Society Advocacy Grant
• Serbian Neuroscience Society Advocacy Grant
• Slovenian Neuroscience Association Advocacy Grant